


cereal killer (heart stealer)

by glaukostella



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Bestfriend/s Dynamics, Cereal, Crack, Dorms, Fluff, Light Swearing, M/M, take a shot every time cereal and bowl is mentioned, when i say crack it really is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-18 00:31:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18975316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glaukostella/pseuds/glaukostella
Summary: In which Donghyuck's cereal has been mysteriously disappearing and Yukhei is a simple man driven by hunger and college.





	cereal killer (heart stealer)

**Author's Note:**

> this au was supposed to be a socmed au a yr ago but i suck!! also posting it on this day bc it's my friend's birthday nd if it weren't for her i wouldn't have liked the dynamics of these bad bois. also unbeta-ed. enjoy!

Donghyuck likes to think he’s a nice person. Not kind, because that fits Jaehyun's description more. Maybe Jeno's too.

He swears he's a generous person, counting the times he has fed his circle of friends his cooking. Sometimes, even leading to intense team building activities which includes putting out the fire in their kitchen on several occasions. Aside from the life-risking aspect of this, he's a nice friend.

But not with the asshole who keeps on stealing his stash of cereal from their shared dorm kitchen.

Donghyuck leans his back against the fridge's door with his hand on his chest and the other on his temple. "They did it," He pauses. "Again."

Jaemin chews his croissant thoughtfully, not caring to look up from his phone to see his best friend.

"I'm pretty sure you had a rough count of how many times your cereal disappeared."

"I do. It's the sixth time and--" Donghyuck solemnly shakes his head. "The sixth time I haven't eaten the best cuisine I have ever had in my entire life."

"I'm telling on you to your mum."

Donghyuck whips his head towards Jaemin's direction. He runs to the kitchen island his best friend was at and snatches the croissant from his hand. "If you do, you will lose guidance in your life. It's me; I'm your guidance."

Jaemin rolls his eyes and retrieves his croissant, but not before Donghyuck takes a bite from it.

"You know, you could just hide it in your room. I'm sure Jaehyun hyung won't mind."

"Oh, he does. A lot." Donghyuck recalls the other day when he cried over his loss to his roommate, only for Jaehyun to stare at him and say "Cereal is bad for you," with a dry smile, giving him a pat on the shoulder and telling him to sleep. Or maybe Donghyuck was into his dramatics to see that it was a genuine gesture from Jaehyun, knowing him all too well.

Silence takes over the kitchen island.

"Well, I see your diet has been doing well, isn't it?"

"Shut up."

 

_

Lucas likes to think he's a free-spirited guy; Someone who can do anything and everything for himself without others' help. Which also accounts providing basic necessities for himself, such as food.

He thinks he's doing well, getting to eat cereal every day since he moved in with his close-to-family friends.

These said friends do not support his cause.

Sicheng paces back and forth by Yukhei's bed. Kun hums to himself beside Yukhei. The man in question is eating cereal on his bed as if he didn't do wrong.

"Wong Yukhei."

He raises his hand. "Present!" He says with glee. Fortunately, his hands are big enough to carry an entire bowl in one with the other in the air.

"Qian Kun, here!" Kun joins in Yukhei in raising hands. Sicheng faces them and slaps them away.

"Now is not the time to play around."

Kun lets out an "ow!" while Yukhei clasps on his bowl with both of his hands, shooting an offended glare at Sicheng.

"You almost made me drop my cereal!"

"Cereal you stole, might I add," Sicheng lets out a huff and crosses his arms.

"Did you gather us in here to shame me for my methods? You could have just asked me for some if you wanted." He shoves a spoonful of cereal into his mouth, earning a distasteful expression from Sicheng.

"I'm not sharing my bowl with you, though."

Kun makes a noise. "No one wants to share with your bowl, Yukhei."

"A bowl of stolen cereal."

Yukhei pouts and puts the bowl down his lap. "It's not stealing when it's in a place widely known for it being _shared_."

Kun discreetly tries to grab the bowl from Yukhei's lap. "Isn't it known etiquette to not touch anything not yours?"

"A man with a determined stomach does what it wills," Yukhei puffs his chest up, acting high and mighty. He sees what Kun is doing and squints his eyes questioningly at him.

"I'm not risking to see bits of sugar and dairy on my carpeted floor," Kun puts away the bowl by their study desk. "Also, that's bullshit."

"It's called sharing. Nice people share. People who live are nice. Like you guys. You're nice, right?"

Kun and Sicheng stare wordlessly at Yukhei.

"Okay, maybe that's a questionable assumption coming from me. But can you please just let this pass?" He takes his chances and turns on his pair of puppy eyes at his older friends. "Pretty please?"

Sicheng's mouth twitches and the gaze he has on Yukhei unwavering. Kun gives him a smile of distrust.

"Alright, fine. But we're not busting you out of jail if you get caught." Kun yelps when Yukhei hugs him tight.

Yukhei does a cross on his chest and raises his hand, resembling the oath gesture. "I promise I won't get caught."

Kun raises his brows. "Uh, shouldn't you promise not to steal anymore instead?"

Yukhei waves his hand dismissively. "Same thing."

"Just get out already before you actually make a mess in here."

Yukhei leaves, but not without his bowl of cereal crumbs.

 

_

"How broke are college students these days?"

Jaemin moves around his bed to face Donghyuck, who just arrived at his room with a frown on his face.

"I don't know," He shrugs his shoulders. "How broke are you?"

"Definitely not as broke as that fucker."

Donghyuck throws his bag down before jumping on Jaemin's bed, consequently right on his abdomen. Jaemin grunts in pain.

"Is this about that cereal thief again?" He asks, struggling to breathe. He moves to shift around their positions.

Donghyuck muffles into Jaemin's waist. "It's been ten consecutive days! Do you have any idea how much audacity this- this being has?" He raises his head. "Do you?!"

Jaemin pushes his head away but Donghyuck resists. "You're too loud. Have you ever thought of catching this guy?"

Donghyuck pauses. Of all the ruckus and mourning he did for his cereal, the thought never occurred to him. He could catch the cereal thief (or _killer_ , his brain snorts) and make him apologize to him. Better yet, make him pay for his boxes of cereals they presumably ate.

He sits up open-mouthed. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"It's because I am the braincell between us." Jaemin sits up against the headboard.

"So, what's the plan?"

Donghyuck smirks.

 

_

Donghyuck isn't an early bird. If anything, he stay up as late as he could playing Overwatch or watching makeup tutorials on Youtube. So when they scheduled their operation: Catch The Cereal Killer (Donghyuck's humour won over his logic and Jaemin) at 4 in the morning, he thinks they missed out this very crucial detail.

"Maybe if you would just let whoever's been stealing these, steal them and make you more broke and hungry than ever, we wouldn't be awake at this hour, hiding inside this broom closet that's infamous for being haunted."

Donghyuck yawns. "That's a mouthful. But I'm nice, not a saint."

The closet has dust in all four corners that has accumulated all over the years it's been untouched. He sees pieces of broken wood, probably was a part of a broom of sorts. He is totally not regretting this.

"I heard there were spiders here but I haven't seen one yet," Jaemin comments as if it wasn't something to be worried about.

Donghyuck _is_ regretting this.

"You know what, maybe this isn't such a good idea at all." He was about to start on his usual spiel on his lifelong regrets involving his childhood until Jaemin hushes him.

"Look, they're here!" Jaemin whispers hurriedly as the two of them peek through the slim space they left the door open. A tall, too tall for Donghyuck's liking, silhouette enters into the kitchen.

It's a guy, walking as if he was on the runway. Donghyuck scans him. A sleeveless shirt and a pair of denim shorts. Any sane human wouldn't wear in Autumn.

He was oozing with confidence, Donghyuck swears he would've swooned from his figure if it weren't for the huge sack he was carrying that made him look like he was some pantry Santa Claus.

"Too early for the season, don't you think?" Donghyuck snickers at his own joke. Jaemin focuses his gaze on their target.

"I don't think I've seen him around before." The guy placed down the sack right on the kitchen island. He stretches his limbs from the ache of carrying, turning his back on the pair.

Donghyuck stares. It's not that he has never seen someone with well-toned muscles before. But he gulps at the thought of confronting this physically fit bod for _cereal_.

For his cereal, Donghyuck chants inside his head.

"Shit. Dude, he's buff," Jaemin comments as if he knows what's on Donghyuck's mind. After the guy finally decides he had enough rest, he goes through the sack. Jaemin signals Donghyuck to get ready. "On the count of three."

_One._

They see the cereal killer open the cupboard where Donghyuck usually "hides" his cereal.

_Two._

He begins to put boxes of the cereal brand Donghyuck eats into the cupboard. Even making the boxes align perfectly.

_Three._

Donghyuck freezes. No way. He panics and tugs on Jaemin's arm. "Wait, Jaem. He's.."

Jaemin swings the door open. Donghyuck has to stick with the script they made.

Yukhei startles at the noise, making him drop the box he was holding on the floor. He crouches to retrieve the box and the kitchen island hides his figure.

"You! Cereal thief, cereal killer, or whatever you are!" Donghyuck says, making his voice a pitch lower which Jaemin makes a funny expression at. The thief seems to have stopped moving. "Show yourself!"

Yukhei slowly rises up, with his hands raised in the air. Still with his back turned against them. Donghyuck could feel the sweat in his palms accumulating.

"Face us." And he does.

Oh no, Donghyuck gapes at him, he's _hot_.

"Listen, I'm sorry I've been eating your cereal without your permission. I-i just-" He locks eyes with Donghyuck.

Donghyuck hears an 'oh my god, I'm leaving," from behind him. He clears his throat. He shouldn't get distracted from his goal.

He breathes in, recalling the speech he's been preparing for the past few weeks. He was about to start--

"Hi." His Cereal thief smiles at him.

Donghyuck's brain stops. "Fuck," What was his goal again?

"Okay, just because you're hot and you replaced the cereal you ate doesn't make you completely forgiven just yet." He puts his arm on his waist, hoping to intimidate this ethereal looking cereal thief.

Cereal thief nods. "I'm alright with that."

He exhales. Donghyuck thinks so otherwise. "Hold on for a minute." He turns around to have a word with his conspirator only to see no one.

Yukhei scratches his head. "Uh, your friend left a while ago." Betrayal. Donghyuck could feel his face warming up. He knows how to make himself act aloof and suave. But somehow, forgetting everything he has learned right in front of this guy is an actual thing he had no idea of.

Donghyuck points his finger at him. "You," Cereal thief straightens his posture. "Continue what you're doing."

Yukhei had a playful expression on. "You mean looking good?" he replies.

Donghyuck closes his eyes. Annoyance bubbles inside him. (And maybe a bit of delight, too.) He needs to go before he does anything that could possibly harm him.

Or his chances with the guy.

"Goodbye," He stomps away from the scene. He wasn't sure if he heard Cereal thief bid him his 'bye' back, but he likes to think he didn't for his sanity.

 

_

The following day, Donghyuck wakes up looking forward to his day. Specifically his breakfast. It's not like he spent the entire night moping over the Cereal thief to Jaemin.

("You could've asked for his name." Jaemin says while laughing at him.

"As if I'd let him win me over some cereal."

"Haven't you already?"

"Good night, Jaemin. I hope the bed bugs eat you alive.")

He excitedly opens the cupboard only to see a post-it note on one of the boxes. Inspecting the note, it reads:

_'I'm handsome, right? ;)'_

Donghyuck stuffs the tiny piece of paper into his pocket, ignoring the fact that he's blushing over the guy the second time around. He believes himself to be a strong, maybe independent man who needs no man.

 _Sure,_  he'd like some romantic cuddling and kisses sometimes too. But that isn't the point.

Boxes of cereal stare right back at him. He reaches for one and closes the cupboard. A long day ahead of him waits.

 

_

Yukhei exhales steadily. He has a few more folds to go. He wipes the beads of sweat from his temples. Dexterity is his enemy in this round. He's positive he read the instructions and followed them according to the printed photos on the booklet.

One more fold, until he was interrupted.

"Yah!" He flings his origami out of surprise. Sicheng laughs as he puts down the paper bag full of art materials and coloured paper down on Yukhei's desk.

"Come on, man. Why'd you do that?" Yukhei crouches to find the tossed origami. Sicheng leans against the table, disbelieving of his friend's behaviour. He picks up one of Yukhei's failed origamis and examines it.

"You sure are doing a lot for someone you've stolen from." Sicheng nods to himself with the origami in his hand. He's keeping this one for future blackmailing purposes.

Yukhei springs back up with the origami and puffs the dust away. "He said I wasn't completely forgiven so," He gestures back at his desk with various sizes and shapes of paper cutouts. "Here we are."

"If I didn't know better, I would've thought you were courting him."

Yukhei blanks out before he roars a robotic-like laughter. "Ge, you're so funny sometimes."

"But seriously, how do you know he likes whatever these," Sicheng points to the origami he got earlier, "are for?"

Yukhei's eyes widen and reaches for it. Sicheng extends his hands away from him.

"Give that back!"

Both of them show no signs of backing down, resulting to Sicheng headlocking Yukhei on their floor. Yukhei taps out and moves away from Sicheng.

"I know," He breathes out. He looks at Sicheng lying down beside him while he struggles to sit up, "because he left a post-it with his number on it the other day."

"He what?!" Sicheng screeches.

"And for the record, I haven't messaged him yet."

Sicheng tackles him back on the ground.

 

_

Yukhei is not a coward. He knows he's anything but that. He used to be one back when he was a kid. When his uncle told him of ghost stories and he couldn't get a wink of sleep without checking his closet every night. But Yukhei has grown since then, he sleeps peacefully nowadays (with Kun and Sicheng within a meter radius near his bed.)

However, seeing Donghyuck enter the kitchen while Yukhei had his box of cereal in his hands, clearly to be eaten, maybe he is, in fact, a coward.

Donghyuck makes an 'o' with his mouth, assessing the situation at hand. Yukhei could feel his heartbeat accelerating each passing second. He is an idiot.

"Well, what do you know!" Donghyuck clasps his hands together. He walks to Yukhei and stops at an arm's length from him. "Thanks for bringing me my cereal." He smiles at him, with his eyes turning into crescents.

"Well, yeah." Yukhei replies a tad quiet more than his usual booming voice. He motions at Donghyuck to hold his cereal and to test the waters, he grins at him.

"Since I'm so nice and gracious," Donghyuck watches Yukhei's expression. "Mind if you share this with me?" His voice falters at the end. But they both pay no attention to this.

Yukhei nods, a bit too fast. "Yeah!" He coughs. "I mean, of course, it would be my pleasure to." He deepens his voice causing Donghyuck to smirk.

"We'll even share a bowl if you care to explain why you haven't told me your name."

"It's 'Cereal killer.'" Donghyuck blinks at him. Yukhei said it with much seriousness that he couldn't keep in his giggles. Seeing this, Yukhei feels like he has accomplished an important mission.

He starts over. "Yukhei. Wong Yukhei." He holds out a hand. Donghyuck stares at his hand with a perplexed expression. He gently pushes down his outstretched hand.

"Sorry, I don't shake hands with guys I want to date. But it's Donghyuck. Lee Donghyuck."

Yukhei smiles.

"So, care to explain why you haven't messaged me?"

"I will. But first," Yukhei strikes a pose.

"You thought I was really handsome, right?"

Donghyuck walks away with his cereal and Yukhei runs after him with his laughter echoing.

 

_

Sicheng's phones vibrates. He received a text from "xuxiboymaster3000 🤙🏻."

" _Someone willingly shared their bowl with me. :P"_

Sicheng looks at the empty space in the corner of the room, pretending there's a camera over.

"Yeet." He says with a dull tone.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! it means a lot.
> 
> [twt](twitter.com/mitokundria)


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